Calling all #ride5000miles members!
Calling all #ride5000miles members!
Clock up your miles with a trip to the ultimate biking festival this May. Don't forget to swing by the MCN stand to meet the minds behind the paper, the team will be hanging around so come and say hello and don't forget to pick up your FREE 2018 #ride5000miles sticker. GP legend and star guest Freddie Spencer will also be on stage at the MCN stand so you might even get a selfie with the man himself.
Take the long ride in
The Festival is located at the heart of some fabulous biking roads so why not make the ride there as memorable as the event itself? We’ve picked out four great routes that all end at the Festival gates...
From the North
Start at Holmfirth, 135 miles.
The run out of Holmfirth on the A6024 is a joy and then when you cut through the Peak District it gets even better. The Cat and Fiddle is tempting but other roads are quieter and more fun to ride. Matlock is great to explore and the final few roads are quick but not overly challenging, so you’ll arrive relaxed but happy.
Highlight: The viewpoint on the A6024 that overlooks Holmfirth is truly stunning. Comedy pictures using the metal picture frame are a must. The A6024 was used as part of the 2014 Tour de France route, and it’s an amazing road with knee down bends and a good, grippy surface
The route: Start at Holmfirth: A6024 - A6 - Buxton - A515 - A5012 Nottingham - A606 - A1 - East of England Arena.
From the East
Start from Great Yarmouth, 127 miles
While the final 40 miles of this route along the A47 are a bit of a slog, the preceding 90 more than make up for the Fens’ flatness! The coastal road from Great Yarmouth to Cromer and then on towards Hunstanton is simply wonderful and full of hidden surprises and pretty villages. Overtaking is tricky due to its narrowness, but if you get a good run you will love everything East Anglia has to offer – especially the seafood!
Highlight: The A149 from Cromer to Hunstanton is a bit narrow but offers spectacular views through chocolate box villages.
The route: Start at Great Yarmouth: A149 - King’s Lynn - A47 - East of England Arena.
From the West
Start from Hinkley, 85 miles.
Starting at the home of Triumph, you ride past Mallory Park on the way to Coalville before dodging over the top of Loughborough on the A512 on your way to Melton Mowbray – home of the pork pie. At this point you are spoilt for choice as, while we have suggested the B6047, if you take the A607 to Grantham it is one of the best roads in the area and leads directly to Chris Walker’s Kawasaki dealership! That said, the B6047 is very special and so is the B664 towards Uppingham. And the A427 to Oundle. In fact, it’s all good on this brilliant route!
Highlight: From Melton to Market Harborough and then the road to Uppingham is just spectacular!.
The route: Starting at Hinckley: A447 - A511 - A512 - A6006 - Melton Mowbray - B6047 - B664 - Uppingham - A6003 - A6116 - A427 - A605 - East of England Arena.
From the South
Start from Baldock, 65 miles
Turning off the A1 at Baldock services opens up this lovely route that breaks the monotony and gives you access to some really great roads. It’s a bit of a fiddle to navigate as you dart between the major roads but it is well worth taking. When you finally start the run towards Peterborough from St Ives you will appreciate just how good the local roads to the East of England Arena are and why MCN uses them for so many road tests!
Highlight: The B660 is a belter and MCN road tests are often photographed at Wood Walton, see if you can spot some of the corners!
The route: Starting at Baldock: A507 - B1038 - B1383 - M11 - A14 - St Ives - B1090 - B1043 - B660 - Ramsey St Mary’s - B1040 - Pondersbridge - East of England Arena.